KATHMANDU, Sept 13: The National Planning Commission, in partnership with UNICEF and the World Bank, organized the second international conference on social protection in Kathmandu on Thursday and Friday.

Inaugurated by the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mr Bishnu Paudel, the conference titled “Resilient and Inclusive Social Protection: Investing in Human Capital Development” aims to foster critical dialogue on how social protection can be leveraged to reduce poverty, build resilience, and invest in the human capital for future generations.

"This conference comes at a crucial time as Nepal is investing in its human capital,” said Minister Paudel. “We are committed to building a more inclusive social protection system that serves the needs of all, especially our children and the future generations.”

Nepal is undergoing rapid economic, social, and demographic changes, with approximately 20 percent of the population still living below the poverty line and significant inequality remaining a concern. Nepal’s Constitution guarantees the right to social security for vulnerable groups, but much of its investment in social protection has focused on the elderly, with limited attention to children and other vulnerable groups.

Vice Chairperson of the National Planning Commission, Prof. Dr. Shivaraj Adhikari, stated that the Government of Nepal, through the Sixteenth Plan, has given high priority to human capital development, and it is necessary to increase investment in children for this purpose. 

He highlighted the fact that human development is both a means and an end in the context of the country's development and emphasized that social protection plays a crucial role in building human capital.

“By investing in the early years, including through universal child grants, we can break intergenerational cycles of poverty that hold back future generations," said Sanjay Wijesekera, Regional Director of UNICEF South Asia. "Through this conference, we are not only reaffirming our commitment to the children and young people of Nepal, but we are also challenging ourselves to create a world where every child and young person, no matter his or her circumstances, has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to a brighter, more resilient future."

The conference builds on the momentum of the 2019 International Conference on Social Protection, which promoted policy debate on strengthening social protection for children and the expansion of the child grant, establishment of an integrated registry, increased use of the cash plus approach, investment in productive employment and social security for the formal and informal sectors. This year’s conference provides a platform to reflect on key progress in Nepal since 2019 and for knowledge exchange, learning from best practices, and collaboration towards achieving SDG Target 1.3, which calls for implementing nationally appropriate social protection systems for all.

 
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